Lyme disease: musculoskeletal manifestations
Kolstoe, J.; Messner, R.P.
Rheumatic Diseases Clinics of North America 15(4): 649-656
1989
ISSN/ISBN: 0889-857X PMID: 2685923 Document Number: 346280
A previously unrecognized musculoskeletal syndrome led to the recognition of this "new" infectious disease. Several distinct patterns of musculoskeletal involvement can be seen throughout the course of untreated Lyme disease. Diffuse, nonspecific muscle achiness and stiffness can be seen early to be followed by characteristically brief, recurrent episodes of LIMP and transient arthritis that help to differentiate LD from other arthropathies. Chronic oligoarticular arthritis is seen in a few. Lyme arthropathy most closely resembles the reactive arthropathies. In a few cases, LD has mimicked other connective tissue disorders such as juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, myositis, and scleroderma. It would appear that the full spectrum of musculoskeletal LD is still being defined.